Clermont-Ferrand is a city and commune of
France, in the Auvergne region. It is the prefecture (capital)
of the Puy-de-Dоme department. Serge Godard is the current Mayor
of the city. Clermont-Ferrand sits on the plain of Limagne in
the Massif Central and is surrounded by a major industrial area.
The city is famous for the chain of volcanoes, the Chaîne des
Puys surrounding it. The famous dormant volcano Puy-de-Dоme (10
km from the city) is one of the highest of these and well-known
for the telecommunication antennas that sit on its top and are
visible from far away. Clermont-Ferrand is also famous for
hosting the world's number one international short-film
festival, Festival du Court Metrage de Clermont-Ferrand, as well
as the corporate headquarters of Michelin, the famous tire
company created more than 100 years ago in the city.
Clermont-Ferrand's most famous public square is place de Jaude,
on which stands a grand statue of Vercingetorix sitting
imperiously on a horse and holding a glaive. The inscription
reads: J'ai pris les armes pour la liberté de tous. This statue
was sculpted by Frédéric Bartholdi, who also created the Statue
of Liberty. Recently, Clermont-Ferrand, which was France's first
city to get a new guided light transit system, thereby linking
the city's north and south neighbourhoods. Clermont-Ferrand
Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption de
Clermont-Ferrand) is a Gothic cathedral, and French national
monument, located in the town of Clermont-Ferrand in the
Auvergne. It is the seat of the Archbishops of Clermont (bishops
until 2002). It is built entirely in black lava stone, which
makes it highly distinctive, and very visible from a great
distance. Its twin spires are 96.2 meters tall, and tower above
the town's rooftops.